Beet-harvester.



E. D.' BALL.

BEET HARVESTER;

AP'PLlcATmN FILED Nov. 22. 1913.

rPatent@ Sept 4, 191'?.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

E. D. BALL. BEETVHARVESTER. APPueAIloN FILED Nov.22.v 1913 Patented Sept. 4, 19u17;

` 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ELMEB. D.` BALL, or LOGAN, UTAH.l

IBEET-HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led November 22,1913. Serial No. 802,426.`

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER D. BALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Logan, Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine especially adapted for digging and topping beets. Evidently. however, such a machine,

or many 4of its features, may be advantageously used for harvesting other vegetables where the conditions are similar to those pertaining to beet-growing. p

My inventionprovides means for removing foliage from the beets while they. are in the ground; for digging beets; forv conveying them to a cutter; and a cutting device or topper arbitrarily adjusted by an operator to cut off the top of each beet at the proper place. Y

The `manually adjustable cutter, by means of which exactly the right amount of top may be cut from each beet, is a principall feature of the invention, the other features mentioned being, however, usually necessary in some form to coperate with the cutting means.

A preferred form of digger comprises a plow to make a trench alongside the row, a sub-soil plow to deepenthe trench, and a cam or finger to pull the beets into ythe trench. In a preferred form of the invention there is also provided to cooperate with this digger, a pulling or lifting device comprising rollers which grasp the beet between them vand elevate it to a conveyer. Preferably also, these rollers are made of different relative sizes so that the varying surface velocities of the rollers cause the beets to be more effectively delivered to the conveyer.

I will now describe, with reference to the accompanying drawing, one exemplifying embodiment of the invention. v

It is to be understood that the invention is capable of many different embodiments.

Figure 1 is a top plan of a machine embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan of a part of the pulling rollers, the longitudinal conveyer, transverse conveyer, and the cutting or topping means. p

Fig. 3 isa rear elevation of thevtopping mechanism.V i v Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a machine omitting the topping mechanism.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Fig.l 5 is a diagram showing a cross-secf ytion of a row of beets, to illustrate the action of the digging devices.-

Fig. 6 is a top viewof the foliage-gathering and cutting means. y

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the rear part ofFigG. i

Fig. 8 is afvertical section of the delivery meansfor depositing thecut* beets on the ground iny rows.

Fig. 9Vis a detail of the transverse 'con-1 A veyer.

Fig. 10 is atop planof` a partof the topping mechanism. f j

Fig. 11 is a'diagrammatic detail ofdriving means for the cutter.

- Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the cuttershaft, and Y f Fig. 13 is an enlarged section inthelongitudinalplane of the machine of the transverse conveyerA and beet guide. y

Reference character 1 .designates the main frame having wheels 2 suitable Vfor carrying the machine yin vsoft ground andfor supplying driving power to the conveyers and other parts of themechanism. v At vthe front endV o-f the frame are-steering wheels 3, preferably mounted on stub-axles and controlled by suitable steering mechanisin, so that the machine may be steered accurately in relation to the row. This `mechanism is usually regulated by the driver, for whom a seat 6 is provided at any convenient,V place on the machine. y Near the Vfront end of themachine .is carried the foliage cutter, designated in general by the character T. Just in front ofy this is a foliage liftingA device, comprising two inclined rods or guides 7 carried by rearwardly and outwardly curved arms 8, these arms beingso designed to` avoid `interference with the foliage lof thebeets. The upper ends of the arms are connected. kto 4a frame member as at 9, Fig. 4. The lower front ends l0 of guides 7 run under the beet foliage and lift it and direct it to a cutter. VThis comprisesabottom plate 11 and a top plate 12, .suitably carried by the main frame. Between these plates revolves a cutter disk 13 mounted on vertical shaft 14..y On the periphery of the disk are a plutends i back .y substantially to the periphery i of the disk 11. The disk may also be provided with a prong 17 at the center of the guideway. The leaf stems pass between the guides 16 and are cut between the blades or knives 15 and the edges of the prong 17 Vand one of tliefguides 16. The cut foliage is thrown off to one side by a vertical Aguide 18 provided upon topplate 12 and extend ing to a point behind shaft 14. Shaft 14 may be driven in various ways, exemplifying means here shown consisting of bevel gears 19, longitudinal shaft 2O and suitable connections. Shaft 2O is suitably connected to some other driving part of the machine.

Behind the leaf cutter is a digger, the character of which may be varied greatly, but in a preferredembodiment this comprises a main plow 21 which digs the main furrow F' shown in the diagram (Fig. 5). Below this is a subsso'iler which digs a second, deeper furrow y" (Fig. 5). A- cam or finger 23 is also providechwhiclli runs in the earth to the left of the beet row, as shown in Fig. 5, and is 'arranged at such an angle to the path of travell of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, that the beets are forced over intoA the furrow or channel, andvinto the path of the lifting rollers, the front yends 'of' which are shown in engagement with the beet at the bottom of Fig.` 5.

The support for the digging means may be varied greatly but in the present embodiment it comprises a beamfstructure 24 carrying the plow, 'subsoiler and cam. vThe beam structure is pivotally connected to the front endl of a brace or strut rod'25, and the digger vstructure may be raised? or lowered,

as desired, by means of lever 26 and suitable linkage.` The team or tractor are to be hitched to the-front end of beam 24.

The lifting means-comprise a small 'roller 27 and a large roller 2S having substantially parallel axes. These rollers areY preferably inthe form of cones, enlarging toward the rear. The front end or shaft of roller 27 is mountedr ina socket 29 at the rear of the sub-soiler 22 and the forwardL end or shaft of roller 28 is rmounte'din a socket at the rear of' cam 23. These socket mountings ha've suitable play to permit necessary freedom of motionof the digger structure. The large roller 28 vlies more or less above the small roller, as best seen in Fig. 2, andlthere its provided between the rollers a rearwardly-converging space s. The beets are pulled into the `furrow by cam 23, as shown 1by the middle diagram, Fig.. '5, passing between the front ends ofthe'roller's, as shown inthe bottom diagram, Fig. 5. The 'rollers are rotated as shown bythe arrows, and thus grip "and pull the beets. 4from the ground. The larger diameter `of roller 28 also causes the beets: to 'be thrown toward the 'right or over ythe 'small' roller 27, lhead first, l and the =heads are thus 'delivered upon a longitudinal conveyer 31. This conveyer has longitudinally varranged rows of spikes or guides 32' which swing the beets around until they lie head first upon the conveycr in the direction of its motion, as shown by the arrow. f.

i The rear ends of the roller shafts are supported in bea-rings 33 carried by roller frame member 34, and the rollers are driven by suitable sprocketsor pulleys-35` and suitable chain or belt 36 connected by shaft 37 and suitable gearing with lother driving parts of the machine.

The longitudinal yconveyer `31 delivers the beets to a guide or slideway 46, from which they pass to transverse conveyer 41. This transverse conveyer carries a plurality of Ipockets 42 which conveniently consist of metal troughs 43V in which I'are placed beveled ller blocks 44 to properly Asupport the beets in the pockets with due regard to their general conical shape. ALs the pockets lcarrying the beets move in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) they pass under al brush 445 rotatedV at suitable speed? in relation to the movement'of the belt, so that the brush bristles pus-h the head ofneach beet against the `guide-piece 46. Near the inner end ofthe belt is a clamping device comprising a shaft 47' provided with a hub 481, spring-arms 49 and: clamping fingers v50.' Shaft 47 is rotated at such speed that as each pocket comes beneath it one of the'clamping yfingers 50 is pressed upon the beet andy holds it vfirmly in the pocket while itis'being cut. Adjacent tothe clampingdevice is the cutter, consisting in thisiembodiment of 'a knife 51 carried by shaft 52. n The shaft may be splined or squared, as shownY in the drawing, and the knife is carried on a hubA 53 suitably engaged with the shaft so that the knife may slide longitudinally on the shaft but revolves'therewith.y To adjust the knife, its hub is provided with an annular lgroove 54, '"in which fits a colla-r 55. To this collar is connected-a fork 56 carried by a lever 57 fulcrumed at 58 to the frame member. This lever vterminates in ahandle 57EL convenientlylocatedI to be 'grasped 'by an operator sitting in seat 5,9. This seat, as shownl in Fig. 1, is located so that the line yof beets carried Avby the-transverse `con'veyer is easily seen by the operator, and as each beet approaches the path of the knife and1 is clamped for cutting, 'the operator, by manipulating the handle, shifts the knife to cut off the proper portion ofthe'topfof the beet. Since these beets vary greatly as to the amount of fibrous top, it is impractica* blefto properl'ycut thenrby automatic means cutting devicein 4"relation to each beet to properly cut it;

The knife shaft revolves at such speed that the knife passes each pocket 42 as it arrives opposite the cutting point in the travel of the conveyer.

To facilitate proper cutting, a knife-guide 60 may be provided, consisting of a pointer or guiding device of any suitable kind moving in accordance with the adjusting movement of the knife. For example, this guide may be carried by an arm k6l connected to collar 55 and supported by rail 62 located `on any suitable frame member. This guide being in advance of the knife, as shown in F ig. 2, enables the operator to set the knife exactly right for the beetrin advance of the cutting action. I

The cut tops drop to the ground and the beets when released from the clamping device fall into a hopperl 65 at the bottom of which is a swiveled spout 66. By swinging this spout on its swivel the cut beets may be dropped in rows so that the beets from several planted rows may be dropped in a single nished row for easy loading into wagons.

lt may be desirable to speed up the knife as it passes through the beet and for this purpose the knife shaft may be driven by sprockets 67 mounted, respectively, on the knife shaft 52 and driving shaft 68, these sprockets being eccentric to their shafts, as shown, so that the knife moves fastest as it passes through the beet.

The guide or abutment 46 may be adjusted to regulate the position of the beets before they approach the knife, by mounting its supporting irons 70 (F ig. 13) in sockets 7l, securing them by set screws 72.

rlhe transverse conveyer, as shown, eX- tends toward the right-hand side of the machine. Evidently, the position and direction of running of this conveyer could be reversed so that it would take beets from the longitudinal carrier at the right and deliver them toward the left, and in this case the transverse conveyer would not have so great an overhang as is shown in Fig. l, and the balance of the machine might be improved in some cases, altho-ugh the machine when properly constructed and balanced will operate satisfactorily as shown in Fig. l.

Evidently, driving means for all of the moving parts described may be variously arranged, but l will now briefly describe one suitable arrangement of driving mechanism for all of the parts.

One of the ground wheels 2 is provided with a sprocket 73, which, by means of chain 74, drives sprocket on shaft 76. This transverse shaft drives, by means of beveled gears 77, shaft GS previously mentioned, from which the knife shaft is driven. Shaft 68 may also support one end of the transverse conveyer while the other is carried on a shaft 7 S. Shaft 47 of the clamping device may be driven from shaft 68 by sprockets and a chain 79. The shaft of brush 45 is driven from shaft 76 by suitable sprockets and chain 80. The rear end of longitudinal conveyer 31 may be supported by shaft 76, and in cases where it is desired to drive this conveyer faster or slower than the shaft speed this may be done by connecting the shaft lat the forward end of the conveyer with shaft 7 6 by suitable sprockets and chain 8l. Shaft 76 also drives by means of beveled gears 82 shaftr 37 of the roller mechanism previously described.l ln some cases it may be desirable to drive both ends, or only the left hand end, of the transverse conveyer 4l, and in such cases its shaft 7 8 may be connected to shaft 76 by beveled gears 83.

All of the mechanism may be disconnected by means of a clutch 84 on shaft 76, by means of which sprocket 7 is connected and disconnected.

I claim l. In a harvester for beets or the like, the combination of a cutter shaft, a cutter thereon, means for-manually adjusting the cutter upon its shaft, a guide positioned in advance of the cutter and movable therewith to indicate cutting position, and a carrier for presenting beets successively to the cutter.

2. In a harvester for beets and the like, the combination of a conveyer to present a series of separate vegetables to be topped, top-cutting means mounted to be freely moved laterally in respect to the conveyer to position said cutting means to top each vegetable in accordance with its peculiarities, and hand controlling means for moving said cutting means rapidly to different cutting positions.

3. In a harvesting machine for beets and the like, the combination of a longitudinal conveyer whereon beets are deposited longitudinally and head-first, a transverse conveyer having pockets in which beets are deposited singly by the longitudinal conveyer, a guide alongside the transverse conveyer, means for moving the heads of the beets against the guide, clamping means acting on the beets in cutting position, a cutter to cut the beets singly while clamped, and means for moving the cutter rapidly from side to side to properly top each beet as it is presented to the cutter in accordance with the amount of top thereon.

4. In a harvesting machine for beets and the like, the combination of a longitudinal conveyer whereon beets are deposited longitudinall)v and head-first, a transverse conveyer having pockets in which the beets are deposited singly by the longitudinal conveyer, a guide alongside the transverse conveyer, a rotary positioning device engaging the beets in the pockets to move them into engagement with the guide, a rotary clamping device having yieldable clamps to eniso gage the beets in the pockets when in cutting position, a cutter, and manual means for adjusting the cutter endwise in relation to the beets to remove the proper amount of top from each.

5. in a harvesting machine for beets and the like, the combination of a longitudinal conveyer receiving beets longitudinally and head-first, a topper, means for taking beets from the longitudinal conveyer and presenting them to the topper singly for topping Without interference bv other of the beets, and means for freely and quickly moving the topper cndwise in respect to the beets as they are presented to a cutter to remove the proper amount of top fromeach.

6. ln a harvesting machine for beets and the like, the combination of a longitudinal conveyer Whereon beets are deposited longitudinally and head-first, a transverse con- Yeyer having pockets in which beets are deposited singly by the longitudinal conveyer, a guide alongside the transverse conveyer, means for moving the heads of the beets against the guide, clamping means acting on the beets in cutting position, a cutter to cut the beets singly While clamped, means for adjusting the cutter to properly top each beetin accordance with the amount of top 1 means for adjusting the topper endyvise in 40 respect to the beets to remove the proper amount of top from each, and a pointer connected to move with the cutter to indicate the place for cutting the beet.

ELMER D. BALL. l/Vitnesses M. A. VooD, H. I. RATHVON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents` each, by addressing the Commissioner af-Patents. Washington, D.- 0.- 

